Clutch.



PATENTED JULY 2, 1907.

CLUTCH.

APPLIUATION FILED 00T. 29, 190e` T. W. SHEPPARD.

W/TNESSES ya A TTOHNE YS THOMAS W. SHEPPARD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

A CLUTCH.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2, 1907.

Application iled October 29,1906; Serial NO- 341,018.

To all whom it may coment:

Be it known that I, THOMAS W. SHEPPARD, a subject Y lof the King of Great Britain, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Clutch, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact v description.

ernor, the application of the clutch kmay reduce the speed of the engine so fai-.that it will stop.

The object of the invention is to produce a clutch which is especially adapted to be used in connection with an engine, or prime mover which is started up from time to time, and which can be nicely controlled so that the transmitting power of the clutch can be brought gradually from a minimum to a maximum, the minimum being suiciently low to prevent the stoppage or material retarding oi the engine, while the maximum is sufficient to substantially transmit all the power which the engine can develop when running on the governor.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts to be more fully described hereinafter and particularly Set orth'in the claims.

Reference is to'be had to the accompanying draw.- ings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal central section through a clutch 'constructed according to my invention; and Figl 2 is a detail cross section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l and illustrating the construction of the clutch more completely. I

Referring more particularly to the parts, 1 represents the driving shaft, which may be that of an engine or other prime mover. Upon the end of this shaft a wheel 2 is rigidly attached, the said wheel consisting of a disk 3 having aheavy rim 4 rigidly attached thereto, as shown. This wheel constitutes the fly-wheel or balance-wheel for the engine. At the point of attachment between the disk 3 and the shaft 1, the shaft 1 is preferably formed with `an enlarged head 5which seats in a recess 6 formed in the face of the disk as shown. Upon its inner side the rim 4 is providedwith longitudinally disposed grooves or slots 7 which are of substantially rectangular form, as indicated in Fig. 2.

I provide a plurality of friction rings 8, which I shall call outer rings. These rings are provided at suitable points on their peripheries, with ears 9 which are received in the grooves 7 in the manner indicated most clearly in Fig. 2.l The grooves 7 are of considerably greater width than the ears 9, so that ball chambers are provided which are adapted to receive balls 10 inthe manner indicated. In the inner ends of the grooves 7,

blocks ll are respectively received, which prevent the balls from falling out of position, and similar blocks 12 are placed at the outer ends of the grooves y slots 7 to prevent the balls from becoming dislocated inthat direction. i

The driven shaft 13 is in alinement with the shaft 1 and is formed at its extremity adjacent to the shaft 1 with a conical neck 14 upon which an inner wheel 15 is tightly seated by hydraulic pressure or similar means. Beyond this neck 14 the shaft 13 is formed with a centralopening or recess which receives a stud 16 formed integrally in the adjacent face of the shaft 1. 0n the end of the shaft 13 beyond the neck 14 a circumferential groove 17 is formed, which is adapted to receive a split collar 18, which collar seats against the inner face of the disk 3 in a circular recess 19 provided to receive it.`

Slidably mounted on the shaft 13 there is arranged a sleeve 20, which sleeve is formed at its inner extremity with an enlarged neck 21 and a collar 22. On this enlarged neck 21 there is received a main friction disk 23, which is'of slightly conical or'dished form as shown, and provided near its outer edge with an annular friction face 24. In the periphery of the wheel 15 grooves or-recesses 25 are formed which extend longitudinally with respect to the axis of the shaft 13 and lie opposite to the aforesaid grooves or slots 7.

I provide a plurality of friction rings 26 which I shall call inner rings, and these rings are similar to the rings 8 aforesaid, except that they are provided on their inner edges with ears 27, which ears are respectively r'eceived in the aforesaid grooves or slots 25. The grooves 25 are of substantially rectangular form and, like the grooves 7, present ball chambers in which balls 28 are placed on either side of the ears. These balls `28 are retained in the slots at the inner end thereof, by a lip 29 which projects up from the body ofthe wheel 15 as shown. The opposite ends of the slots are closed,by small blocks 30 which are set in position as indicated. .In this way the balls aremaintained in position.

On the inner face of the disk 3 an annular friction face 31 is formed which lies opposite to the friction face 24 aforesaid, and the space between the faces 24 and 3l is filled lby the riction rings 8 and 26. The rings are arranged in an alternating or staggered relation, as shown, so that the rings c arried by the inner wheel pro'- ject into the spaces between the rings carried by the outer wheel, all ofthe rings being adapted to be pressed together by the main friction disk 23. The clutch is provided with a cover 32,' which is of slightly conical form as shown, and through which the sleeve 20 is slidably mounted as indicated. At its outer edge the cover 32 is attached to the rim 4, in any suitable manner. Around the hub of the main friction disk 23, and in the space between it and the cover 32, I provide a helical spring 33 which I: shall call a main spring, and this spring, by thrusting against the cover 32, normally tends to hold the friction rings pressed against each other and against the friction face 31, exerting its full force upon these parts.

At the outer extremity of the sleeve 20, adjusting collars 34 are provided, which are adapted to receive 4thrust in a right hand direction from a ball ring 35,

Jwhich ball ring is mounted o n balls on the body of the sleeve. This ball ring is adapted to be forced over against the collars 34 by an auxiliary lever 36,'the same being provided with a fork 37` at its lower extremity, the ends'of which are formed into rounded heads 38 which engage the side ofthe ring 35 as indicated. This auxiliary lever 36 has its fulcrum at 39 on the transverse bar of a quadrant 40. Near this auxiliary lever a main lever 41 is attached, the same having its fulcrum at the point 42 and lying substantially parallel with the auxiliary lever. At the upper end of the lever 36, alug 43 is provided, which projects toward the lever 41, and a similar lug 44 is provided on the lever 41. These lugs are adapted to Contact with each other in a manner which will be described more fully hereinafter. The lower extremity of the main lever 41 is provided with an opening 45 through' which passes freely a stem 46, which stem is pivotally mounted at 47 upon the auxiliary lever 36. Between the levers 36 and 41 the stem 46 is provided with threads upon which adjusting jam nuts 48 are mounted, as shown. The outer extremity of the stem 46 is provided with a movable kcollar 49, against which thrusts a spring 50 which is disposed about the stem, as indicated, the inner extremity of the spring resting against the side'of the lever 41. Beyond the collar 49 nuts 51 are provided, which are adapted to adjust the tension of the spring. 0n the arc 'of the quadrant 40 I provide a plurality of notches 52. These notches are indicated respectively by the'letters a, b, c, d; the letter a representing the notch at the left while the letter d represents the notch at the right. On the lever a lock bolt 53 is provided, which may engage any one of the notches. These notches are provided on their right hand sides with abrupt faces, and on their left hand sides with inclined faces, so that the lever may be swung toward the left without withdrawing the bolt, but only toward the right by withdrawing the bolt.

The mode of operation of the clutch will now be described: When the bolt 53 is occupying the notch a, the lugs 44 and 43 are in Contact with each other, so that for all intents and purposes, the lever 36 operates as a rigid extension of thelever 41; that is, there is a positive connection between the two levers. This position corresponds to the off position of the clutch; that is, the sleeve 20 will be disposed as far to the right as possible. When in this position, the main friction disk 23 carried by the sleeve, -is held substantially out of contact with the friction rings, the spring 33 being compressed. When the bolt 53 occupies the notch b, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the lugs 43 and 44 are out of Contact, but the spring 50 is somewhat compressed.

The force of this spring is exerted upon the stem 46', from which it is transmitted to the auxiliary lever 3G and the sleeve 20. This force will be suiiicient to overcome a part of the expansive force being exerted by the spring 33, so that the pressure exerted by the friction disk 23 upon the rings may be said to be a differential pressure; that is, a pressure resulting from the difference in tension of the two springs. lt should be understood that the spring 50 is under considerable tension in this position, so that the force subtracted from the main spring 33 is quite large; hence, it will be seen that the effective pressing force developed by the spring 33 with this position of the lever, is quite small. This position of the lever, therefore, correspends to the minimum transmitting power of the clutch. Whenthe lever 41 is at the notch c, a large part of the tension of the spring 50 is relieved, so that a small force is subtracted from the force exerted by the main spring 33; hence, this position of the lever corresponds to an increased transmitting power for the clutch. When the lever is moved over to the notch d, the tension of the spring 50 is completely removed, and the entire force of the main spring 33 exerts itself upon the friction clutch. This corresponds, of course, to the maximum transmitting power-of the clutch. From this arrangement it will be understood that the clutch is capable of transmitting a maximum power a minimum and an intermediate power. The fact that the areas of the friction rings and their coefficient is known, enables the clutch to be accurately designed so as to transmit any required power at the different lever positions. In this way the clutch can be admirably designed so as to meet the requirements of the engine with which it is to operate; the minimum transmitting power of the clutch being not so great as to materially reduce the speed of the engine, when the latter is running on the governor, and the clutch is thrown in. Likewise, the maximum transmitting power of the clutch will be suited to the power of the engine. In this connection, the selection of the grade of springs becomes important. The balls l() and l25 which are disposed on the sides of the ears 9 and 27, prevent any possibility that the friction Vrings will tend to stick when given the slight inward movement necessary to develop the pressure between their surfaces. Of course, as the friction rings or disks wear away, suitable adjustments will be inade so as to allow for the same.

Having thus described my invention, l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In combination, a clutch, an auxiliary lever, menus normally tending to close said clutch, :i main lever, n spring opposing said means, disposed between Suid muin lever and said auxiliary lever', and through which said main lever normally operates said auxiliary lever, menus` for opening Suid clutch by a movement of Suid auxiliary lever', said levers having means for engaging directly upon an extreme movement, whereby said main lever muy operate said auxiliary lever independently of said spring.

2. In a clutch, in combination, friction wheels, a spring adapted to maintain a pressure between suid wheels, un auxiliary lever adapted to relieve said wheels from the pressure of said first spl-ing, a main lever :1nd mechanism including a spring,r connecting the same with said auxiliary lever and through which the movement: of said lever is imparted to said auxiliary lever.

In :i clutch, in combination, friction wheels, a spring adapted to maintain a pressure between snld wheels, an

lao

auxiliary lever adapted t relieve said wheels from .the pressure of said rst spring, a main lever and mechanism including a spring connecting the same with said auxiliary lever and through which the movement of said lever is imparted to said auxiliary lever, and means whereby said main lever may actuate said auxiliary lever independently 5. In a clutch, in combination, a spring tending to maintain the clutch closed, an auxiliary lever affording means for opening the clutch, a main lever, a stem carried by said auxiliary lever, a spring about said stem and thrusting against said main lever, said levers having lugs projecting toward each other and adapted lto engage with an extreme movement of said main lever, whereby said main lever may become connected to open said clutch independently of said second spring.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this speclcation in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS W. SHEPPARD.

Witnesses F. D. AMMENV, JNO. M. RITTER. 

